Sunday, 11 August 2013

Elementary
Mathematics

Note
to parents,

Mathematics runs many of the complicated and
seemingly simplistic operations running in our lives. Thus, children are
exposed to mathematics as they go about their daily lives exploring and
discovering things around them. And since mathematics has become increasingly
important in this technological age, it is even more important for our children
to learn math in school, as well as at home. The National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics (NCTM) has identified the appreciation and enjoyment of
mathematics as one of the national goals for mathematics education. This goal, together
with the task of nurturing children's confidence in their ability to apply
their mathematical knowledge to solve real-life problems, is a challenge facing
by every parent today.

There are 5 process standards set by The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). They refer to the mathematical
processes through which children should acquire and use mathematical knowledge

The 5 process standards are:

·Problem Solving

·Reasoning and Proof

·Communication

·Connections

·Representation

The problem
solving standard - children are naturally curious learners.They question, investigate, and
explore solutions to problems Children may use different ways to arrive at an
answer. You can encourage your child to be a good problem solver by involving
him or her in family decision making using math.

The
reasoning and proof standard - able to think logically, to notice the
similarities and differences about things, making connections between cause and
effect and making choices based on those differences. You can encourage your
child to explain his or her answers to math problems for examples like where
they got the answer, how they get the answer, why do they think that their
answer is correct. As you listen, you will get to your child sharing his or her
reasoning.

The
communication standard - use words, numbers, or mathematical symbols to
explain situations. You can help your child learn to communicate mathematically
by asking your child to explain a math problem or answer. Ask your child to
draw a picture of how he or she arrived at an answer to a problem.

The
connections standard – Mathematics help us to
understand the workings of the world around us. Therefore, children can use
mathematics to make connections in the cause and effect relationship among the
processes in the world. For example, queuing up according to height or
separating into groups of threes.

The
representation standard – Teachers use mathematical tools like graphs, pie
charts or bar charts to explain figures and their relationship with the items
they represent. Manipulative is a useful visual representation, thus a concrete objects that are commonly used in
teaching mathematics. They
include attribute blocks, geometric shapes of different colors and sizes that
may be used in classification or patterning tasks, plastic counting cubes for
solving simple addition and subtraction equations. Children might use manipulative materials to mold their
creativity, transform that model to a drawing on paper to express their
thinking. Your may focus on
representing numbers with items, pictures or even family members. For example,
learning the basics of counting can use pictures of balls to help children
recognize that the number represents the items depicted. Teaching through
representation or pictures will allow children to make connections between the
real world and the math skills that are crucial for academic success.

There are two learning
theories which go with how children carry out mathematics. In the constructivism
theory, Piaget
emphasized self-initiated discovery. Children can construct new concept upon
prior knowledge and the new information expands an existing network. Like
manipulating the Lego toys where the children can add on the Lego blocks to
build a fantastic model. Children can even use old concepts as basic
foundations on which they can use to build their ideas and thought processes.

In the sociocultural
theory, Vygotsky placed more emphasis on social contributions to the
process of development; Children interact
with their peers is an effective way of developing skills and strategies.
Teachers use cooperative learning movements where less knowledgeable children
develop with help from more competent peers - within the zone of proximal
development. It demonstrates children learning from their peers, or from their
seniors through coaching, asking questions and even playing.